


Countdown

by tinybabydeer



Category: One Direction (Band), The Voice (Ireland) RPF
Genre: Fluff, M/M, New Year's Kiss, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-02
Updated: 2015-01-02
Packaged: 2018-03-04 21:39:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3091202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinybabydeer/pseuds/tinybabydeer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was New Year’s in Mullingar, and Niall was miserable.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Countdown

**Author's Note:**

> Blatant Nessie schmoop for Leila and Alyssa and Jen because I am weak

Niall sighed into the dark, cold air and watched as the misty cloud it formed curled and faded into the breeze. It was bleedin’ freezing out, and the beer he was clutching in his hand had made his fingers go completely numb, but being inside was depressing him.

It was New Year’s in Mullingar, and Niall was miserable.

Bobby was throwing a grand old party for the family and everyone he could pack into the house. Usually Niall just went out and got pissed with the crew, but it was a nice change of pace. Theoretically, anyway.

There was one presence in particular that was absent from the festivities. A big-headed, six-and-a-half foot tall presence. And maybe Niall was being a little bitter about it.

I mean, why would you tell someone on the phone just a couple days before that you would be somewhere and then not show? It was five minutes to midnight as Niall confirmed with a thousandth glance to his phone that there were no new texts, no missed calls, and no word from Bressie.

He let himself be cranky and annoyed in lieu of letting the nervous twisting of completely irrational worry get the better of him. He wasn’t, like, dead. He just wasn’t here. 

Niall took another long pull from his beer that warmed him for just a moment and stared resolutely out at the yard, tiny snowflakes falling and catching the porchlight in the dark. He hadn’t been expecting anything, or anything. It’s just New Year’s. Bressie could do whatever he wanted. It wasn’t Niall’s business.

Suddenly, a loud cheer came from inside, and Niall could hear the bustle of people rushing into the TV room. He turned and watched through the porch door as everyone clamored for a spot and the announcer bloke began the countdown.

“10… 9… 8…-”

Niall tried to get excited but mostly shivered. It was fuckin’ frigid out here.

“7… 6… 5…-”

He tried to think of a resolution as he downed the last dregs of foam from the bottle. 

“4… 3… 2…-”

Maybe this was the year...

“1! Happy New Year!” The party goers cheered and whooped, spilling champagne on themselves. Hands reached out and pulled each other closer, exchanging kisses eagerly, some more giggly than others. Ah. There it was.

Niall turned back around suddenly, cheeks burning hot. Okay, if you really had to press him for a reason as to why he was acting like such a knob, it was maybe because he’d wanted a New Year’s kiss.

Like, it was silly, but with everything else going on in his life, maybe he just wanted a little bit of movie romance, just once. And a certain giant arsehole was supposed to be here to give it to him. Only, Niall had never said anything to him about this massive crush he had. Details, details.

There was another commotion inside, but before Niall had the chance to turn around, he heard the porch door slide suddenly open.

“Niall?”

He could actually feel his heart stop, and then presumably fall directly out of his arse and into the snow.

He turned, eyes wide and cheeks hopefully red enough from the cold to hide the blush that he could feel burning across his face. Bressie was standing in the doorway, bundled up in a beanie and scarf and breathing heavily, like he’d run all the way here from the airport. Knowing Bressie, it wasn’t that wild of an assumption.

“Brez? What’re you- you’re late, mate.” Niall managed lamely, trying to crack a smile but feeling like running into the woods screaming. Bressie blinked, glancing back over his shoulder inside and looking at the TV special winding down already. His face dropped like he’d been expecting the worst but still didn’t know how to handle it. Shoulders slumping, he heaved out a shaky sigh and turned back to Niall, looking at once devastated and apologetic.

“Chief, I’m so sorry, the plane was delayed, and my phone just died and I couldn’t- I didn’t-” he babbled, stepping properly out onto the porch and shutting the door behind him. Niall shook his head and shrugged, trying to do his best nonchalant smile but it felt more like a grimace.

“Eh, it’s fine, been pretty quiet here without ya, Brez.” Niall chucked his empty bottle into a recycling bin with a glassy clang and shoved his hands in his pockets. “You missed the countdown, though.”

If possible, Bressie looked even more defeated, dragging a hand down his face. Niall could hear him muttering something under his breath, but couldn’t catch the words.

“Brez, it’s really alright, okay? Go get a drink or something, you look like you’re about to fall over,” Niall said with a small, slightly concerned laugh. His bitterness was fading away and being replaced with sympathy and just a note of worry. He didn’t need Bressie feeling even worse and getting himself worked up about it, the last thing Brez needed to do is start the new year off with a panic attack.

Bressie rubbed his eyes with his fingers and sighed again. “I just… I had a plan.”

Niall blinked up at him. “What was that?”

Pausing for a moment, Bressie finally made eye contact, looking tired and annoyed at himself more than anything.

“I had this whole plan, that at midnight, I’d get a New Year’s kiss.”

Niall chewed on his lip to try to stop his teeth from chattering, feeling something swoop unpleasantly in his stomach. “Well, that’s bollox, big head, guess you’ll have to survive somehow, stay strong,” he snarked, unable to stop the sarcasm bleeding into his voice and turning back to stare out into the yard. His buzz from the beer was wearing off, he was tired, and honestly just wanted to go to bed and not hear about who Bressie wanted to make out with all night.

“I wanted to kiss you, Niall.” Bressie said quietly, strained like he was trying to not let his voice break.

Oh.

Niall spun around and stared at Bressie for the second time that night, eyes wide as dinner plates. 

“What?” he croaked.

A tiny smile was pulling at the corner of Bressie’s mouth. “Wanted t’ have make a big production of the whole thing, real romantic shit and all. Guess I fucked up though, didn’t I?”

“Nah mate, fuck the countdown, right? Just a stupid tradition, doesn’t mean anything,” Niall said in a rush, slightly breathless and frozen where he stood. Bressie chuckled a bit, rubbing the bridge of his nose self-consciously, before finally looking back up at Niall, eyes bright.

Stepping forward, Bressie held up both hands, all fingers out. “10,” he said softly, before lowering a finger. “9, 8, 7…”

Niall could feel his heartbeat in his ears and knew he was gawping, but couldn’t seem to do anything to control it. By the time Bressie got to “4,” they were standing toe to toe, Niall having to tilt his head back to see.

“3, 2…”

“Kiss me already, Brez.”

Bressie smiled.

“Happy New Year, chief.”

And did.


End file.
